Information display elements are becoming increasingly important to provide optical indication of rapidly changing conditions. Opto-electronic indicators are frequently used. There is, however, an increasing demand for sturdy, extremely large display devices, particularly to permit use outdoors, with minimum power consumption, to provide indication of traffic conditions, for example for variable indication of different speed limits, directional indications, warnings of traffic jams, accidents ahead, and the like. Various types of indicators have been proposed which are suitable for large-area display of variable information, particularly of alphanumeric symbols. Usually, such elements are display devices arranged in a pattern with white or light colored flaps which are located in suitable openings within a frame or within an indicating surface that can be flipped out of the field of vision on such a manner that they are no longer visible to an observer. The observer will then only see the background of the display frame or surface which is colored to match the remainder of the surface, thus observing only a dark opening without contrasting information. Such display indicators are not entirely suitable, particularly for outdoor use; they are comparatively costly and not as reliable as desired. The angle of vision for good recognition of the displayed information--and non-recognition if no information is to be displayed--can become critical. A wide angle of vision which permits recognition is frequently particularly important in display devices to indicate road traffic conditions since the possible locations for such indication devices are frequently limited and can often not be selected only from the standpoint of optimal recognition.